World Cup Golden Boot Winners - Historical World Cup Top Scorers Argentina 5 One of the most active markets for any World Cup is the Golden Boot with a number of players vying for an award which is presented to the highest goal scorer in the tournament. Over the years, there have been some incredible goal scoring feats at World Cup finals but who are the individuals that have made their mark in previous tournaments and what indicators can they give those of us who are making predictions for 2014? The Record Breaker France’s Just Fontaine holds the record for the most goals in a single World Cup tournament and it’s one that may never be broken. In current World Cup competitions, the most successful teams could play as many as seven games but could any of the current players match the 13 strikes that Fontaine achieved in Sweden in 1958? The striker was prolific in club football and averaged nearly a goal a game during his eight years with Stade Reims. His ratio at international level was even better and his performances at the 1958 finals would leave Fontaine with a record of 30 goals from 23 appearances.

It’s claimed that he was playing in a pair of borrowed boots when he began his campaign with a hat trick in a 7-3 defeat of Uruguay. The Frenchman followed that achievement with a brace against Yugoslavia and a single, winning goal against the Scots which allowed his country to progress to the next phase. Three goals followed over two matches against Northern Ireland and Brazil before Fontaine netted no less than four times in the third place play off against West Germany. Behind this incredible achievement, Sandor Kocsis managed eleven strikes in the finals of 1954 but since Gerd Muller’s 10 in 1970, no player has managed more than eight in a single tournament. The Prolific Nations Aside from Just Fontaine’s magnificent 13 back in 1958, no Frenchman has taken the Golden Boot award. In fact, after the Stade Reims centre forward, there is a considerable gap in the country’s all time list. The finals in Sweden were the only time that Fontaine appeared in a tournament so he finished seven clear of Thierry Henry who scored six goals – three in 1998 and three in 2002.

Other countries have been more prolific over a longer span and they tend to be the more successful nations in terms of World Cup victories. Brazil are well represented when it comes to the tournament’s leading goal scorers and out of eighteen finals, five Brazilians have either shared the Golden Boot or won it outright. The most successful of these was Ronaldo who currently holds the overall record for goals scored at the World Cup finals. The former Real Madrid target man has 15 strikes, spread over three tournaments, including a top scoring effort of eight as his country lifted the trophy in 2002. Behind Ronaldo, the legendary Pele has 12 goals in four tournaments although the man who many believe was the greatest to ever play the game, never actually won a Golden Boot. Germany also feature heavily in the list of all time leading scorers and Miroslav Klose has a chance of eclipsing Ronaldo’s record at the 2014 tournament. Along with the great Gerd Muller , the Lazio centre forward has 14 goals in World Cup finals and is set to be Germany’s first choice front man in Brazil. In total, German or West German players have finished as top scorer in three tournaments.

Gerd Muller recorded an impressive ten goals in 1970 before Klose took an outright win in 2006. Thomas Muller completes the trio although the Bayern Munich man shared the award in 2010 with David Villa and Wesley Sneijder. An unlikely hero After West Germany’s Gerd Muller took the prestigious Golden Boot in 1970, he joined up with the national squad as they looked to win the World Cup on home soil four years later. The host nation duly completed a win after edging past the Netherlands by two goals to one in the final and while the man they called ‘Der Bomber’ scored four times, the top scorer accolade finished in the hands of an unlikely recipient. Poland’s Grzegorz Lato featured in three FIFA World Cup finals and as a winger, his achievement of scoring ten goals across those tournaments is an extremely impressive one. The Poles had qualified for the 1974 event from a tough qualifying group and in doing so, they made sure that a highly fancied English team stayed at home. Lato had become an important member of the side during that qualifying phase but his seven goals in the finals helped his country to an unexpected third place.

Poland were drawn against Argentina in their opening match and it was a tough encounter against a country who would develop and go on to win the World Cup four years’ later. The South American side were shocked however as Stal Mielec’s Lato opened the scoring after seven minutes and sixty seconds later, striker Andrzej Szarmach made it two. Lato scored again to seal a 3-2 victory and four days later, he secured another brace in a 7-0 rout of Haiti. Szmarmach, a recognised centre forward, scored a hat trick in that game and went ahead of Lato with a fifth strike in a 2-1 win over Italy. The impressive Poles continued their fine run and by the end of the tournament, Grzegorz Lato had taken the Golden Boot with the winner in a surprise 1-0 victory in the third placed match with Brazil. The winger would return to the World Cup in 1978 and 1982 and despite only adding three more goals to his tally, Lato’s overall total of 10 in all tournaments is a Polish record.

Other notable achievements Although Poland didn’t win the World Cup in 1974, the eventual Golden Boot winner played in every possible game – seven in total and usually the winner of the individual top scorer trophy makes it all the way to the final with his country. There are notable exceptions however and in 1986, England’s Gary Lineker took the award despite Bobby Robson’s side being knocked out in the quarter final stage against Argentina. Before the tournament had even begun, there were fears that Lineker would miss the finals completely after he broke his wrist in a meaningless friendly against Canada. The Everton striker eventually took to the field in a protective cast but he failed to score and had little impact as England took just one point from their opening fixtures against Portugal and Morocco. Robson’s men were left needing to win their final group game against Poland and a first half hat trick from the former Leicester City forward was enough to seal the points with a 3-0 scoreline. England looked a different side and Lineker scored two more in a 3-1 defeat of Paraguay in the first knockout stage.

His final goal came in the 2-1, quarter final loss against the Argentines and while Gary Lineker’s winning tally of six was a relatively modest one, he finished one clear of Diego Maradona, Spain’s Emilio Butragueno and the Brazilian Careca. Golden Boot World Cup Winners As Gary Lineker’s achievement shows, you don’t have to be part of a World Cup winning team to take the Golden Boot but ultimately, the teams that do triumph tend to have at least one prolific scorer in their ranks. David Villa shared the award in 2010 and his five goals helped Spain to take the trophy in South Africa. The centre forward scored at important times too and his brace against Honduras helped his side get their campaign back on track after a shock opening defeat against Switzerland. Prior to Villa’s success, Ronaldo scored eight and finished as leading scorer as his Brazilian side won the World Cup. Before that, however, Paolo Rossi was the last man to take the Golden Boot and a tournament winner’s medal back in 1982. Four years previously, Argentina’s Mario Kempes had also recorded a double triumph but overall, tournament top scorers who finish on the winning side are the exception rather than the rule.

Gary Lineker – TalkFootball Off the pitch… Like him or love him, there are few people who would say they don’t have a soft spot for Gary Linekar. He is not only a football legend but a national English treasure and the face of football on the BBC. Lineker was a predator in the six yard box. He seemed to know exactly where to position himself so the ball would arrive at him and he’d grab a quick goal. Not the most flamboyant of players but certainly one of the most deadly in terms of scoring goals. He is England’s second highest scoring goal scorer of all time. And who’d have thought it from a TV presenter! Making Leicester famous for more than just crisps… Gary Winston Lineker always loved sport. He grew up in Leicester in the very middle of the middle of England. His father was a greengrocer and the trade had been with the Linekers for over 70 years. Linker had his heart set on sport though and was more than accomplished at most he played. An old school report famously said about Lineker that “He must devote less time to his sport if he is to be a success”.

Gary was spotted playing football by local team Leicester City when playing at 13 and he was invited to play for their youth team. When he was 16 Gary started playing full-time. At 18 he started playing for the first team and within a couple of professional years he was already starting to make a prolific name for himself, finishing each season with enough goals to place him up there with the other leading goal scorers in the then Division One. In 1984/85 season Gary finished as top goal-scorer with 24 and this prompted attention from the England international team. Ferry across to the Mersey Gary moved to Everton in 1985 and didn’t stop scoring for them either. He bagged a staggering 38 goals in only 52 games for The Toffees and finished top goal scorer again. During this period though it was when the rest of Europe started to become very tempted by such a deadly match-winner as Lineker and the skinny lad from Leicester soon fell onto the radar of the big boys from Spain. Big-ears goes to big club Barcelona called and Gary answered and in 1986 Lineker moved to Spanish giants Barcelona.

In the same year Gary played in the Mexican World Cup and won the Golden Boot for scoring the most goals in the competition. The Spaniards were rubbing their hands at the prospect of a repeat performance at the Nou Camp. Gary did it again and he netted 21 goals for Barca in only 41 games, including a hat-trick against arch rivals Real Madrid, which led him to cult status amongst the fans. He was becoming prolific and an absolute nightmare to defend against. With Lineker up-front Barcelona went on to win the UEFA Cup and the Copa del Rev but a fall out with Dutch legend Johan Cruiff, when he was suddenly moved out of position to the right-wing, spelt time at the Barca for golden-boot-Gary. Tottenham Hot-stuff Lineker passed on Manchester United’s generous offers and decided his return to English football would be with north London’s Tottenham Hotspur. It was here that Gary entered the peak of his form. From 105 games Gary scored in over half of them with a whopping 67 goals. He helped them win the FA Cup and, playing alongside Paul Gascoigne for most of it, he made Spurs a force to be reckoned with.

Gary was voted third in the first ever FIFA World Player of the Year awards in 1991. The Setting Sun of Japan One of the most unexpected transfer moves of all time came when Gary Lineker decided to move to Japan to play for Nagoya Grampus Eight. No one in Europe seemed to even know Japan had a football league, let alone feel they deserved such a legend as Lineker. But Gary felt his struggling injuries and weariness of the European game meant a growing football nation would suit him perfectly and also hugely benefit the country’s desire to improve their football profile. He was loved in Japan and, although he only played 23 games in the two seasons he was there, he still couldn’t resist scoring 9 more goals to add to his huge tally. Gary finished his club football career having never received a yellow or red card. He was the ultimate sportsman and the ultimate gentleman. He was one of the greatest examples of an England player we have ever seen and his goals for his country were some of the most crucial in history.

Player Statistics Fifa World Cup – Golden Shoe: 1986 (Mexico) English League Top Scorer: 1985, 1986, 1990 We’re singing for England…. It began in 1984 against Scotland. It ended with 80 appearances and a staggering (but expected from Gary) 48 goals. None were more vital than in the Mexico World Cup finals when Gary helped England to qualify for the knock-out stages by scoring an incredible hat-trick against Poland. Then against Paraguay he struck twice again to send them into the quarter finals to face Argentina. But sadly Lineker’s one goal was no match for another legend called Maradona’s two. England went out but would be back in 1990 for more drama. Italia 90 will go down in history as being one of the most dramatic moments in football for all teams involved but particularly for England. Lineker scored one of only two England goals in the group stages but then made up for it when they got to the quarter finals having beaten Belgium in the round before. His two penalties against Cameroon in the quarter-finals meant England would face their arch-rivals West Germany in the semis.

It would go down as one of the most famous games of football ever. Gazza’s tears, Lineker’s 80th minute equaliser and that penalty shoot-out. Which England of course lost. After this came a somewhat sad end to his England career when, in the Euro 92 tournament, new coach Graham Taylor subbed Lineker and prevented him from trying to beat Bobby Charton’s top goal scoring record. He was upset and didn’t play for England again. Off the pitch… At times you’d be forgiven for even remembering that Lineker was even a footballer. He is such an icon of British sport on television now that it seems he’s always been doing it. Coming on as sub in the early nineties for Des Lynam but eventually being promoted to the first team, Linker was to be the new face of the institutional Match of the Day programme. He also rose up the ranks in TV when he was a regular captain on the sports game-show They Think It’s All Over, which often revealed a more humane and jovial side to him. Gary still presents Match of the Day today, as well as the BBCs coverage of The Masters and various other occasional programmes.

Aside from sport, Gary is also well know for his appearance in the Leicester-based company Walkers Crisps adverts. Which have used his squeaky clean image and reversed it to show how irresistible they are. Here is one when Gary came back from Japan. In his personal life Gary married his child-hood sweet heart Michelle and they had four sons together. His oldest boy George was diagnosed with leukaemia when he was only a baby but he has since made a full recovery. He divorced from Michelle in 2007 but they remain amiable. Lineker continues to present sport on the BBC as well as voicing narration for children’s programme Underground Ernie and appearing as himself in the odd film too. He will always be a national treasure for the English. A man we all wish we knew; he feels like one of us. A great footballer and a great ambassador for the game of football and for sport in general. Top 15 World Cup Goalscorers Of All Time - Goal.com Top 15 World Cup Goalscorers Of All Time Featured Jun 1, 2010 22:29:00 Who's found the net the most?

With the World Cup just under under two weeks away, Goal.com runs down the Top 15 finals goalscorers of all time… Please note: players level on the same number of goals are separated by their goal-to-game ratio... 15) Vava (Brazil) - 9 goals (1958,1962) The late Brazilian centre-forward was part of the Brazilian squads that won the 1958 and the 1962 World Cup finals. He scored a total of nine goals in ten matches in those two editions. Vava scored twice in the final of the 1958 World Cup against Sweden and four years later struck once against former Czechoslovakia in the final in 1962. The late Brazilian legend became the first player to score in two different World Cup finals. 14) Christian Vieri (Italy) - 9 goals (1998, 2002) Vieri was a goalscoring machine at the peak of his power and struck nine goals in just nine appearances at the World Cup finals.

In 1998 the 36-year-old scored no fewer than five times for his nation and found the oppsotions' goal on four occasions in the 2002 World Cup. Vieri missed the 2006 World Cup because of injury and has already retired from football altogether, with many claiming him to be the best pure goalscorer Italy has produced in recent times. 13=) Eusebio da Silva Ferreira (Portugal) - 9 goals (1966) Eusebio originally hailed from Mozambique but he played for Portugal at the national level. The now 68-year-old played in just the 1966 England World Cup but his exploits in the competition will forever be remembered. Eusebio scored nine goals in just six matches in the 1966 World Cup and more importantly took his nation to the semifinals of the competition. His best performance in a Portugal came in the quarterfinals against North Korea in which the European side were 3-0 down. Eusebio decided to take sole control of the proceedings to strike four times to win the match 5-3 and to take his side to the semis.

13=) Ademir Marques de Menezes (Brazil) - 9 goals (1950) Ademir featured in just one World Cup but it was a near-success. Brazil eventually lost to Uruguay in 1950 but the late former striker scored nine goals in just six matches. Ademir won the Golden Boot in the 1950 World Cup and entertained the spectators with his pace, shooting abilities, sublime finishing and strength. Ademir never featured in another edition of the World Cup but he is already engraved in history. 12) Grzegorz Lato (Poland) - 10 goals (1974, 1978, 1982) Lato scored seven of his ten goals at the 1974 World Cup and won the Golden Shoe in that competition. Poland finished third in the competition. The former Poland winger scored twice in the 1978 World Cup in Argentine and added one more goal to his tally four years later to help his nation finish third in the 1982 World Cup.

11) Miroslav Klose (Germany) - 10 goals (2002, 2006) Klose found the back of the net five times in the 2002 World Cup and all of his goals came from headers. His goals ascertained than a previously unfancied Germany team reach the final of the World Cup. In the 2006 World Cup, Klose scored five more goals and led his side to the semifinals of the competition in front of his own supporters. The 31-year-old will get his chance to move higher up in the ranking as he is part of the Germany team for the 2010 World Cup. 10) Teofilo Cubillas (Peru) – 10 goals (1970, 1978, 1982) The greatest Peruvian of all time, Cubillas was the inspiration behind his country’s run to the quarter final in 1970. He rose to stardom with his performance in Mexico and scored in all of Peru's matches. Cubillas scored a memorable goal against Scotland eight years later in Argentina and helped his nation to the quarterfinals.

The 61-year-old struck a total five times in the 1978 World Cup. However, he couldn't do anything of note in the 1982 World Cup. 9) Gary Lineker (England) – 10 goals (1986, 1990) Gary Lineker is one of the greatest footballers England has ever produced and topscored at the 1986 World Cup with six goals, still the only England player to do so. Indeed, Lineker helped his country reached the quarterfinals of the competition. Four years later the former Barcelona striker struck four times in the 1990 World Cup as England advanced to the semis. 8) Gabriel Batistuta (Argentina) – 10 goals (1994, 1998, 2002) Legendary Argentine striker with a bullet of a right foot, Batistuta is one of the best ever strikers not to have won the World Cup. At his peak during the 1994 and '98 editions, 'Batigol' was a class apart. Batistuta scored an opening game hat-trick against Greece and scored one more.

Four years later in France the Argentine striker scored yet another hat-trick, this time againstJamaica. As a veteran in the 2002 World Cup in Japan/South Korea, Batigol failed to do anything of note. 7) Helmut Rahn (West Germany) – 10 goals (1954, 1958) ‘The Cannon from Essen’ is best remembered for scoring twice in the 1954 final against Hungary. Moreover, he also played a huge role in creating the equaliser against the Hungarians. Four years later in Sweden Rahn was again a star. He scored against the former Yugoslavia, becoming the first player ever to score at least four goals in two different World Cups. West Germany would reach the semifinals in the 1958 World Cup. 6) Jurgen Klinsmann (Germany) – 11 goals (1990, 1994, 1998) Klinsmann was a prolific striker who excelled in three straight World Cups and forged an impressive partnership with Rudi Voller.

The German legend who would later go on to coach his nation to the semifinals of the 2006 World Cup held in his home nation scored three goals in the 1990 World Cup as West Germany would win the competition. Four years later in the 1994 World Cup in the USA, Klinsmann found the target on five occasions and in 1998 scored thrice, becomingthe first player ever to score at least three goals in each of three World Cups. Klinsmann still remains second all-time in World Cup goals scored by a German. 5) Sandor Kocsis (Hungary) – 11 goals (1954) Like Just Fontaine further down this list, Kocsis only played in one World Cup but was a key player in the magnificent Hungary team of 1954, scoring in every game apart from the shock final defeat to West Germany. Kocsis also scored two hat-tricks in the 1954 World Cup. One was against South Korea in Hungary's opening game of the competition and in the next game against Germany he struck four goals.

4) Pele (Brazil) – 12 goals (1958, 1962, 1966, 1970) ‘The King’ burst onto the scene as a 17-year-old in 1958, scoring twice in the final win over Sweden. He missed a large part of the 1962 World Cup but still scored against Mexico. However, Pele couldn't do much in the 1966 World Cup as he was brutally fouled by the opposition defenders. But one of the greatest footballers of all time returned with a bang in the 1970 World Cup when he scored against Italy in the final as the South Americans won 4-1. 3) Just Fontaine (France) – 13 goals (1958) The legendary French striker only ever played in one World Cup, but he remains to this day the top-scorer in a single tournament with 13 as France finished third in 1958. In fact, Fontaine featured in just six matches at the 1958 World Cup.

One of his memorable feats include scoring four times against the then defending champions West Germany in 1958. Needless to say, he won the Golden Boot in the competition. 2) Gerd Mueller (West Germany) – 14 goals (1970, 1974) Arguably the best penalty box striker of all time, Muller hit 10 as West Germany finished third in the 1970 World Cup. He was a sensation in that competition and made himself a household name with his performance in that competition. Four years later in the 1974 World Cup, Mueller scored four times as West Germany lifted the prestigious trophy. The 'Bomber' scored the winning goal in the 2-1 victory over the Netherlands in the final. 1) Ronaldo (Brazil) – 15 goals (1994, 1998, 2002, 2006) The legendary Brazilian won the 1994 World Cup when he was still a teenager. Four years later he was the centre of the Brazilian side that reached the final of the 1998 World Cup final.

The legendary Brazilian will forever be remembered for his comeback in the 2002 World Cup in which he scored no fewer than eight goals despite suffering with injuries for months. He scored twice in the final against Germany to lead the Selecao to glory. Ronaldo also struck for Brazil in the 2006 World Cup but couldn't lead his nation to triumph in Germany. Related The 15 Greatest England Players of All-Time | Bleacher Report The 15 Greatest England Players of All-Time Featured Columnist IVJanuary 13, 2017 The 15 Greatest England Players of All-Time 1 of 16 England may not be the most successful footballing nation of all time, but they have produced many memorable players throughout the years. In the history of the English national team, there have been many highs and many lows but in between all of them, some great players have put on the colors of the Three Lions. From David Beckham to Stuart Pearce and many more, here are the 15 best players England has ever seen. Alan Shearer 2 of 16 Alan Shearer was a prolific goal scorer at club level, and that eye for goal did not leave the striker when he played for England.

Shearer only earned 63 caps for England, but when he played for the Three Lions, he was an impact player. In those 63 appearances, the former Newcastle and Blackburn Rovers star scored 30 goals for his country, which is an average of just above one goal every two games. Shearer retired from international football in 2000 but went on to play at club level for six more seasons. Stuart Pearce 3 of 16 The man they call "Psycho" easily makes this list as one of England's best defenders. Pearce is best known for his two penalty kicks, a discipline in football that has always haunted the English. The defender missed a penalty during the 1990 World Cup against West Germany in a quarterfinal match. Six years later during the Euro 1996 tournament, Pearce redeemed himself in front of his home fans at Wembley by scoring in the shootout against Spain in the quarterfinals of that tournament. In his career, Pearce earned 78 caps in 12 years and is now part of the English coaching staff as he is in charge of the England U-21 squad.

Billy Wright 4 of 16 Only five players have appeared for England over 100 times, Billy Wright was the first player to achieve that feat. Wright played during a time when World War II affected all international play and when teams did not play as many fixtures as they do now. Despite all those factors, Wright stayed in the Three Lions lineup for 13 years and if it was not for the second World War, he may have been England's all-time leader in appearances. Wright played even longer with his club, Wolverhampton Wanderers , playing in 490 matches during his 20 years with the club. Jimmy Greaves 5 of 16 Jimmy Greaves was one of the most prolific English strikers of all time. Not only is Greaves still the record-holder for most goals at Tottenham, he still has the most goals scored in the English top flight as well. On the England scoring list, Greaves only ranks third behind Bobby Charlton and Gary Lineker. Greaves scored 44 goals for his country but what is more impressive is that he scored those goals in only 57 appearances.

Ashley Cole 6 of 16 Ashley Cole has been a consistent force in the England defense ever since his international debut in 2001. The current Chelsea left-back is now only two appearances away from reaching the century mark for the Three Lions. Cole may not be the best player of his generation as he has appeared alongside the likes of Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, John Terry and Wayne Rooney , but he has been a stabilizing force at his position whenever he steps out on the pitch for his country. John Barnes 7 of 16 John Barnes roamed the pitch for England from 1983 until 1995. The Jamaican-born winger played on the left wing for the Three Lions and made 79 appearances in that 12-year span. Barnes started off his England career with a great moment against Brazil in Rio de Janeiro in 1984 as his goal on the road gave the English a 1-0 win in a friendly over the Brazilians. Just like many former English players, Barnes did not live up to his full potential with the national team, and he saw his national team appearances decrease steadily as he got older.

Wayne Rooney 8 of 16 Wayne Rooney is one player from the current generation of English footballers that will go down as one of the country's best. Rooney broke out on to the international stage at Euro 2004 with his two-goal performance against Switzerland. At only 26, Rooney is going to surely reach the century mark of appearances for the Three Lions, as he is just about 20 away. However, Rooney has not been a very prolific goal scorer for his country as he only has 29 international goals in 76 matches. Michael Owen 9 of 16 While Michael Owen's club situation has always been in question since he left Liverpool , his national team status never was. Owen rose to stardom in England while he was playing with Liverpool, and he made his English debut in 1998. The forward, who is now employed by Stoke City , played for a decade with the Three Lions and made 89 appearances and scored 40 goals. His 40 goals rank him fourth highest of all time on the scoring list for England.

Steven Gerrard 10 of 16 Steven Gerrard has been a fixture in the English lineup since 2000 and is close to becoming the seventh player to earn 100 caps for the Three Lions. Gerrard is one of the few English players today who has only played for a single club—Liverpool. The midfield maestro only has 19 goals for this country, but he has been the provider of many more English goals throughout his 12-year international career. Gary Lineker 11 of 16 If there is one English forward who knew how to score in the World Cup, it was Gary Lineker. Lineker won the Golden Boot at the 1986 World Cup as he scored six goals in that tournament before scoring four more at the 1990 edition of the tournament. Lineker scored 38 other goals in his England career to end with 48 overall, which landed him second on the all-time scoring list. There is no doubt in anyone's mind that if Lineker had played a few more matches for his country, his name would have been on top of the all-time scoring list forever.

Bryan Robson Bryan Robson may have been one of the best players of his time. Robson is considered by most to be the top English player of his time. The midfielder played in between the generation that won the World Cup and the current one that stars for England today. From 1980 to 1991, Robson played in 90 matches for the Three Lions and was always a dominant figure out on the pitch. After his playing days were over, Robson took his shot at managing, which has not been as successful as his playing career. David Beckham 13 of 16 David Beckham has to be considered as the best player of the current generation of English footballers. Beckham burst on to the international scene in 1996 and earned 115 caps during his illustrious career with the national team, the second highest number of caps in English history. Over the past few years, Beckham has been in the public eye not for his playing time with England but for his attempts to extend his career with the Three Lions as long as possible.

Beckham's last official English game was in 2009, as he missed out on the 2010 World Cup due to injury and failed to make the Euro 2012 squad. Peter Shilton 14 of 16 Peter Shilton is the most capped English player of all time with 125 total caps for the Three Lions. Shilton was chosen as the first-choice keeper for England after Gordon Banks was forced to retire in 1972. After Shilton was instilled as England's No. 1 keeper in 1972, he did not relinquish that position until 1990. Shilton never won a major trophy with his country, but he did at club level with Nottingham Forest during the Brian Clough era as he won two straight European cups in 1979 and 1980. Bobby Moore 15 of 16 Bobby Moore was one of the main parts of the 1966 World Cup-winning squad for England. Moore captained England to their first and only World Cup title on home soil under the direction of manager Alf Ramsey.

Many people consider Moore to be one of the best defenders of all time, if not the best. Moore earned 108 caps in 11 years, and his only two goals came in that magical year of 1966 in two friendly matches. Bobby Charlton 16 of 16 Bobby Charlton was another member of the golden generation of English football. Charlton was a member of the 1966 World Cup-winning team and is also England's all-time leading goal scorer with 49 goals. Charlton almost never got a chance to play for his country as he survived one of the worst football tragedies of all time, the Munich air disaster in 1958. The Manchester United legend made his debut in the same year and the rest was history as he became not only one of Manchester United's best ever players, but one of England's best as well.

100 top World Cup footballers: No100 to No61 | Football | The Guardian World Cup 2014 100 top World Cup footballers: No100 to No61 Led by Lothar Matthäus and Zico, our panel of 40 experts compiled a list of the finest players to grace the World Cup. From a star Swede to the Maradona of the Carpathians, we begin our countdown … Thomas Brolin was the star of the Sweden team who finished third in 1994 in the USA behind Brazil and Italy. Photograph: Bob Thomas/Getty Images Guardian sport staff Tuesday 27 May 2014 17.59 EDT Last modified on Monday 4 April 2016 11.27 EDT World Cups 1990, 1994 Appearances 10 Goals 4 The undisputed star of the Sweden team who finished third in USA 94, Brolin had forced himself into the Italia 90 squad as a 20-year-old and scored a marvellous goal against Brazil in his first World Cup game.

In the US, he was at the height of his career and was given a free role on the right of midfield and his goal against Romania remains one of the most cherished in Swedish football. His spell at Leeds means he is perhaps not as appreciated but make no mistake, he was a world-class player. 99 Giacinto Facchetti (Italy) World Cups 1966, 1970, 1974 Appearances 12 Goals 0 A dedicated professional in an era when not all could say the same, the Italy captain was honest enough to tell the manager, Enzo Bearzot, that his form did not merit a place at the 1974 World Cup. The Azzurri took him anyway, and crashed out in the group stage. It had been a different story four years earlier, when the full-back led his team to the final in Mexico – via a stunning 4-3 win over West Germany.

Paolo Bandini 98 Leonardo (Brazil) World Cups 1994, 1998 Appearances 11 Goals 0 The elbow that floored the USA’s Tab Ramos might have cost Leonardo the chance to win the 1994 World Cup, but the Brazilian should also be remembered for the way that he reinvented himself for France 98. Playing as midfielder on the right side of the pitch, the former Seleção left-back formed a partnership with Cafu that did not help Brazil land the trophy but nonetheless almost dragged a divided and, unbalanced squad over the line. Fernando Duarte 97 Antonio Cabrini (Italy) World Cups 1978, 1982, 1986 Appearances 18 Goals 1 Nicknamed Bell’Antonio – Beautiful Antonio – this technically gifted left-back spent most of his career at Juventus and made his debut in Italy’s opener at Argentina 1978. An ever-present for the next two World Cups, Cabrini earned a winner’s medal at Spain 1982. Regarded as one of the greatest Italian defenders, he now coaches the Italian women’s team.

Barry Glendenning 96 Jürgen Klinsmann (Germany) World Cups 1990, 1994, 1998) Appearances 17 Goals 11 Only five players have scored more World Cup goals than Jürgen Klinsmann, who scored 11 times over the course of three tournaments. The quality of his team-mates did not matter – the striker was always prolific. Klinsmann led the line when West Germany triumphed in 1990 and could often be relied on to drag them out of difficult situations. However, a great Germany side began to age and the USA coach would probably rather forget his final game for his country, a 3-0 humiliation by Croatia in their 1998 quarter-final in 1998. Jacob Steinberg 95 Philipp Lahm (Germany) World Cups 2006, 2010 Appearances 13 Goals 1 The full-back’s spectacular strike after six minutes against Costa Rica set the tone for the host nation’s swashbuckling progress to the semi-finals in 2006.

Four years later Lahm was a tough and artful influence as Germany again swept into the last four, hitting eight goals past England and Argentina in the process. He will be attempting to go even further when he graces a third World Cup in Brazil. Paul Doyle 94 Rinat Dasayev (USSR) World Cups 1982, 1986, 1990 Appearances 9 Goals conceded 9 The Russian dominated his box like few goalkeepers ever have, routinely charging off his line to collect crosses and passes. He would then launch attacks with long throws worthy of any quarter-back. To crown his skill set, he possessed terrific agility and positioning. His resistance in the narrow defeat to Brazil was one of the highlights of a magical match. Paul Doyle 93 Matthias Sindelar (Austria) World Cups 1934 Appearances 3 Goals 1 Known as Der Papierene (the Paper Man) for his slight build, Sindelar captained Austria to the semi-final in 1934 when he was brutalised throughout by Italy’s Luis Monti.

A prodigious goalscorer renowned for his elegance and dribbling skills, Sindelar was one of the best players of his era and remains is venerated as a famous n antiNazi icon. He and his wifepartner Camilla, an Italian Jew, died mysteriously and rumours persist they were murdered by the Gestapo. Barry Glendenning 92 Drgan Stojkovic (Yugoslavia) World Cups 1990, 1998 Appearances 9 Goals 3 A playmaker of rare vision and finesse, Stojkovic was the chief conductor of two exquisitely talented Yugoslavia teams. His ’s goals in the second-round victory over Spain in 1990 encapsulated his skills – his first featured a sublime feint before a precise finish, the second a curler from a free-kick from the edge of the box three minutes into extra time. Sadly, he then missed in the quarter-final the shootout defeat to Argentina. Eight years later, he was back and produced a masterclass midfield performance in an epic draw with Germany before Yugoslavia were eliminated in the second round by Holland.

Paul Doyle 91 Héctor Chumpitaz (Peru) World Cups 1970, 1978 Appearances 10 Goals 1 The regal centre-back captained Peru at two World Cups, where his composure and supreme leadership skills earned him the name El Capitan de América. For a man of such immaculate technique it was ironic that his only goal in the final was scruffy, his free-kick against Bulgaria hurtling into the net despite his slipping as he struck it. Paul Doyle 90 Bebeto (Brazil) World Cups 1990, 1994, 1998 Appearances 15 Goals 6 Forget the baby-rocking celebrations. Although eclipsed by Romario at USA 94, Bebeto chipped in with three goals at the tournament, including the only one that separated the Seleção from the USA in a second-round game that proved an almighty struggle for the Brazilians. Four years later in France Bebeto was again involved in a World Cup final, but without Romario and any proper chemistry with the star of the show, Ronaldo.

Fernando Duarte 89 Claudio Gentile (Italy) World Cups 1978, 1982 Appearances 13 Goals 0 An efficient defender who could hardly have a more inappropriate name: renowned for the zeal with which he neutralised opponents, his man-marking of Diego Maradona in 1982 almost seemed designed to goad Fifa into stopping tackles from behind and persistent fouling. His grim effectiveness helped Italy to fourth place in 1978 and victory in 1982. Paul Doyle 88 Thomas N’Kono (Cameroon) World Cups 1982, 1990, 1994 Appearances 8 Goals conceded 10 One of the greatest African goalkeepers, N’Kono came to global attention when he kept two clean sheets in three matches before Cameroon were eliminated unbeaten in 1982. Eight years later he made an even bigger impression when his spectacular saves helped the Indomitable Lions to a shock victory over the holders Argentina in the opening game.

He continued to perform superbly all the way to the quarter-finals, when it took two Gary Lineker penalties to halt Cameroon’s progress. At the age of 37, Nkono was part of his country’s squad in 1994 but did not feature in the finals. Paul Doyle 87 Luis Monti (Argentina/Italy) World Cups 1930, 1934 Appearances 9 Goals 2 The only man to appear in two World Cup finals for two countries. The tough-tackling centre-back represented his native Argentina in 1930, losing the final to Uruguay, but in 1934, he tasted victory with Italy of which he also had citizenship. There were rumours that he had received a death threat before the first final, so quiet was he compared with his usual all-action self, but he made up for it four years later.

John Duerden 86 Alessandro Del Piero (Italy) World Cups 1998, 2002, 2006 Appearances 12 Goals 2 A winner with Italy in 2006, this supporting striker, or trequartista,, has represented Italy at seven major international tournaments, making him the second player, after Paolo Maldini, to do so. Has been less than prolific in front of goal at World Cups, with only two to his name, but his late equaliser against Mexico in 2002 saved Italy from an embarrassing first-round exit. Four years later he scored again as Italy beat Germany to advance to the final. Barry Glendenning 85 Bellini (Brazil) World Cups 1958, 1962, 1966 Appearances 8 Goals 0 Brazil’s first World Cup-winning captain had such an allure that a statue erected outside the Maracanã to celebrate the whole 1958 Brazil squad became “Bellini’s statue”. He was no Franco Baresi but Bellini emanated authority enough to allow him to boss around more famous and illustrious team-mates.

Fernando Duarte 84 Wesley Sneijder (Holland) World Cups 2006, 2010 Appearances 11 Goals 5 Voted man of the match in an online Fifa poll as a losing finalist against Spain in 2010, the winger had earlier out knocked Brazil of the tournament quarter-finals with the first headed goal of his career; one of five he scored in South Africa. “Wesley is an extraordinary player when he’s at his best and we have to take advantage of that,” said his team-mate Arjen Robben, when Louis van Gaal hinted that his place in the 2014 squad might be under threat. Barry Glendenning 83 Salvatore Schillaci (Italy) World Cups 1990 Appearances 7 Goals 6 A year before Italia 90, Schillaci left Messina for Juventus. It was the beginning of an astonishing 12 months. Totò’s eye for goal earned him a call-up to the World Cup squad and, following his winner in Italy’s opening game against Austria, he – and his wide, staring eyes – rapidly became the icon of the side.

After scoring in every match but the second group game, he claimed the Golden Boot. Jonathan Wilson 82 Igor Belanov (USSR) World Cups 1986 Appearances 4 Goals 4 The 1986 World Cup belonged to one man but there were other successes, such as Belanov. Playing in his only World Cup, the striker had a bittersweet tournament, the joy of scoring a hat-trick in the second round against Belgium offset by the misery of losing the match 4-3. Yet four goals overall helped Belanov become the third Soviet player to be named the European footballer of the year. Jacob Steinberg 81 Sergio Batista (Argentina) World Cups 1986, 1990 Appearances 11 Goals 0 With his beard and straggly hair Batista would not have been out of place at Woodstock but he did not deal in peace and love: he was the combative core of an Argentina side whose function was to win the ball and give it to Diego Maradona. Batista did this brilliantly.

He was integral to the 1986 triumph and also contributed to the run to the 1990 final. Paul Doyle 80 Gianni Rivera (Italy) World Cups 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974 Appearances 9 Goals 3 Rivera played in four World Cups, but he is best remembered for his performances in 1970 when, strangely, he did not start a single game. Italy’s coach, Ferruccio Valcareggi, believed Rivera and Sandro Mazzola could not play together and preferred the Internazionale forward. As Italy failed to click, Valcareggi devised the staffetta (relay) in which Mazzola would play the first half and Rivera the second. Rivera scored the winner in the 4-3 victory over West Germany in the semi-finals but was only .

Jonathan Wilson 79 Didi (Brazil) World Cups 1954, 1958, 1962 Appearances 15 Goals 3 An elegant playmaker, renowned for his stamina, his range of passing and his folha seca – dry leaf – deliveries from corners and free-kicks that would drop sharply, Didi played at the 1954 World Cup and won it in 1958 and 1962. He was the player of the tournament in 1958. He was also, in 1950, the first player to score at the Maracanã and coined the term “the beautiful game”. Jonathan Wilson 78 Jay-Jay Okocha (Nigeria) World Cups 1994, 1998, 2002 Appearances 9 Goals 0 So good they named him twice, Jay-Jay Okocha was a wonderfully original footballer, capable of taking the breath away with the kind of improvisational skill that was beyond the majority of players; at times, he seemed to be inventing new tricks as he went along.

Despite his undoubted quality, he perhaps lacked a crucial level of the consistency or decisiveness that might have elevated him to the top, although he did help Nigeria reach the second round twice. Jacob Steinberg 77 Teófilla Cubillas (Peru) World Cups 1970, 1978, 1982 Appearances 13 Goals 10 Cubillas is one of only two players to score five goals at two World Cups, helping Peru to the last eight in 1970, which included a strike in the quarter-final against Brazil, and again in 1978 where he scored a hat-trick against Iran and two versus Scotland. His club career never reached the same heights but his World Cup exploits were enough to secure a place in history. John Duerden 76 Gheorghe Popescu (Romania) World Cups 1990, 1994, 1998 Appearances 13 Goals 0 One of Romania’s most capped players with 115 appearances, Popescu played for several top European clubs and was a calm, reassuring, rock in the heart of defence at three World Cups.

The 46-year-old known as “Gica” was expected to become president of the Romania football association in March but is serving a three-year jail sentence after being found guilty of tax evasion and money laundering. Barry Glendenning 75 Leônidas (Brazil) World Cups 1934, 1938 Appearances 5 Goals 8 Brazilian corner shops still sell the crispy chocolate bar Diamante Negro (Black Diamond) and that goes to show the impact Leônidas da Silva had on Brazilian football in the pre-Pelé era. He scored 37 goals in 37 Seleção matches, seven in the 1938 World Cup, when Brazil finished third and for the first time captivated the imagination of an national and international audience. Thanks to Leônidas, Brazilians started believing they were quite special at the sport invented by Brits.

Fernando Duarte 74 Elías Figueroa (Chile) World Cups 1966, 1974, 1982 Appearances 9 Goals 0 One of Chile’s greatest players, this centre-back from Valparaíso was renowned for his composure on the ball, strong leadership and uncanny ability to read the game. Despite suffering crippling polio as a child, Figueroa played in three World Cups and He was named the best defender in 1974, ahead of West Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer, who paid tribute by describing once described himself as “the European Figueroa”. According to Pelé, the Chilean was “probably the finest central defender in the history of football in the Americas”. Barry Glendenning 73 Ruud Krol (Holland) World Cups 1974, 1978 Appearances 14 Goals 1 An ever-present in two World Cups, Ruud Krol suffered the agony of losing two successive finals, first to West Germany in 1974 and then to Argentina in 1978.

A classy defender who was comfortable with the ball at his feet, Krol’s versatility, adaptability and all-round intelligence meant that he could play at either left-back or as a sweeper, bringing the ball out of defence to start moves and sometimes popping up with the odd goal, as he did in a 4-0 win over Argentina in 1974. Jacob Steinberg 72 Frank de Boer (Holland) World Cups 1994, 1998 Appearances 11 Goals 0 Holland’s second most capped player after Edwin van der Sar, this unflappably elegant defender and his twin brother Ronald made 179 appearances between them for l’Oranje. A losing semi-finalist in 1998, it was De Boer’s raking 60-yard pass that teed up Dennis Bergkamp to score a famous last-minute winner against Argentina, a goal regarded as one of the greatest in World Cup finals history. In recent years, De Boer has brought similar vision to his role as manager of Ajax.

Barry Glendenning 71 Helmut Rahn (West Germany) World Cups 1954, 1958 Appearances 10 Goals 10 “Der Boss”, scored two goals that won West Germany the World Cup in 1954: the 2-2 equaliser, and the 84th-minute drive into the corner of the Hungary goal. Sepp Herberger had to select him up from a police cell after Rahn had driven into a building under the influence in 1957. Rahn lost 10 kilos and was called up for the tournament in Sweden, where he scored six to bring his tally to 10. Raphael Honigstein 70 Alcides Ghiggia (Uruguay) World Cup 1950 Appearances 4 Goals 4 “Only three people have ever been able to silence the Maracanã: the pope, Frank Sinatra and me” – Ghiggia’s wisecrack is as famous as his winning goal against Brazil in the 1950 final, when the winger shot Uruguay to glory and plunged the hosts into mourning.

His star burned uniquely in that tournament, as he scored in all four of Uruguay’s games. He later became a naturalised Italian, taking part in that country’s failed attempt to reach the 1958 tournament. Paul Doyle 69 Juan Schiaffino (Uruguay) World Cups 1950, 1954 Appearances 9 Goals 5 Voted player of the tournament when La Celeste won in 1950, he scored the equaliser in the 2-1 victory over Brazil that stunned a capacity Maracanã. Schiaffino scored five times at World Cup finals for Uruguay, before switching his allegiance to Italy, with whom he played in two qualifying matches for Sweden 1958. Barry Glendenning 68 Obdulio Varela (Uruguay) World Cups 1950, 1954 Appearances 7 Goals 2 “El Negro Jefe” (The Black Chief) was an inspirational leader and abrasive midfielder who captained his country to success in 1950 when they beat the hosts Brazil in a decisive fixture regarded as one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history.

“Put all those people out of your minds, don’t look up,” he urged his terrified team-mates, as they prepared to step out in front of a partisan 170,000-strong Brazilian crowd. In his seven World Cup matches, Uruguay never lost a gameBarry Glendenning 67 Grzegorz Lato (Poland) World Cups 1974, 1978, 1982 Appearances 20 Goals 10 A right-winger with a turn of pace, Lato won Olympic gold in 1972 before helping Poland to third place at Germany 1974 and Spain 1982. It was the first of his three World Cups that Lato made his mark, netting seven to become the only Poland player to win the Golden Boot. Lato remains his country’s top-scorer with 45 goals.

Barry Glendenning 66 Paul Gascoigne (England) World Cups 1990 Appearances 6 Goals 0 Paul Gascoigne’s England career should have amounted to more than 57 caps and 10 goals, and only six appearances at the World Cup finals, culminating in the tears in Turin at Italia 90. The midfielder was the dash of fantasy in Bobby Robson’s England side: the clown with the extravagant skills, a player capable of running rings round opponents with the ball glued to his instep, and the fun-loving inspiration for a team who hauled themselves out of the doldrums to reach a first semi-final in 24 years. Gazza had played a significant role in propelling the English to the tournament itself and would illuminate their approach at the finals proper. There was an assist for Mark Wright’s winner against Egypt to secure the only win of a horribly tight group. He fed David Platt for his late decisive goal against Belgium in the second round, conceded a penalty against Cameroon in the quarter-finals but redeemed himself to set up Lineker to win the penalty which took England through.

Then came West Germany in Turin, a yellow card for a foul on Thomas Berthold and the water works in the knowledge the Tottenham midfielder’s second caution of the tournament would rule him out of the final, should the team progress. “Before Paul Gascoigne, did anyone ever become a national hero and a dead-cert millionaire by crying?” wrote Salman Rushdie in the Independent. “Fabulous. Weep and the world weeps with you.” While there was a high-profile move to Lazio after the tournament, delayed after the self-inflicted knee ligament injury against Nottingham Forest in the 1991 FA Cup final, Gascoigne never really scaled the heights on the world stage again. There were flashes of genius at Euro 96, most notably that brilliant volley against Scotland at Wembley, but he was dropped by Glenn Hoddle ahead of the 1998 World Cup and, having reacted furiously to that news, he never played for his country again. Life since has been a struggle with alcoholism, drug addition and mental illnesses, his traumas too often played out in the public eye.

Dominic Fifield 65 Andrés Inietsa (Spain) World Cups 2006, 2010 Appearances 7 Goals 2 A product of Barcelona’s La Masia, Iniesta was a key member of the victorious Spain side at South Africa 2010, crowning his man-of-the-match performance in the final with the winning goal. The Spain manager Vicente del Bosque describes him as “the complete footballer”, saying “he can attack and defend, he creates and scores”. Standing 5ft 7in in his socks, the unassuming midfielder is inconspicuous enough to have been mistaken for the barman by a customer in his grandfather’s pub not long after Spain’sthe World Cup win. Barry Glendenning 64 Carles Puyol (Spain) World Cups 2002, 2006, 2010 Appearances 14 Goals 1 If the likes of Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta were the brains of the Spain side who won the World Cup four years ago, then Carles Puyol was their heart.

As befitting a man nicknamed Captain Caveman, Puyol was a rugged, no nonsense, heart-on-his-sleeve centre-back, who formed a solid partnership with Gerard Piqué, a more elegant player but a defender who is prone to dozing off at crucial moments. It was Puyol’s thumping header against Germany that sent Spain into their first final. Jacob Steinberg 63 Fritz Walter (West Germany) World Cups 1954, 1958 Appearances 10 Goals 5 The captain of West Germany’s 1954 team is probably one of the most under-rated World Cup winners. Walter, a wonderfully talented goalscorer and creative linchpin in attacking midfield, made his debut in 1940. His Hungarian guards famously recognised him in a POW camp and prevented his deportation to Siberia at the end of the second world war. Walter was nearly 34 at the time of the final in Bern, but he came back four years later to take Germany to the semi-finals in Sweden.

Raphael Honigstein 62 Giuseppe Bergomi (Italy) World Cups 1982, 1986, 1990, 1998 Appearances 13 Goals 0 Bergomi was 18 years old when he won the World Cup with Italy in 1982. The defender was nicknamed “Uncle” on account of the bushy eyebrows that made him look much older. He showed his maturity in the final when he marked West Germany’s Karl-Heinz Rummenigge out of the game. Paolo Bandini 61 Gheorghe Hagi (Romania) World Cups 1990, 1994, 1998 Appearances 12 Goals 3 A temper to rival his outrageous skill, this maverick was called “The Maradona of the Carpathians”. Scored three goals in Romania’s run to the quarter-finals of USA 1994. Hagi masterminded his side’s 3-2 win over Argentina in the last 16 before going out to Sweden on penalties, a defeat he said “will hurt for ever”. Barry Glendenning

Question: Which footballer won the Golden Boot for scoring the most goals at 1986 World Cup Finals?
Answer: Gary Lineker